Synopses & Reviews
This book takes a fresh, holistic approach to the problems of light absorption and absorbers in seawaters, discussing the fundamentals of light absorption at various depths in seawaters of different trophicity by absorbers of diverse origin. The authors have drawn their information from a substantial body of contemporary research results published in the subject literature (over 700 references) as well as their own work during the last 30 years. No other book presently available examines the issues of light absorption and absorbers in seawaters in such a manner. The book is intended primarily for students, engineers and scientists professionally involved with the marine environment; nevertheless, the authors hope that it will also find favor among all who take an interest in the nature of our Earth, especially the seas and oceans. The components most strongly differentiating the various types of sea/ocean waters from the optical point of view - the water itself, the organic and inorganic substances dissolved in it, and the manifold particles suspended in it - receive comprehensive treatment. The spectral absorption of light by pure water in its various states of matter and by atoms and ions of sea salt is also given ample coverage. The interaction of light with various kinds of organic molecules is analyzed in detail, as are the light absorption spectra of the principal groups of these substances present in the sea in dissolved form. The physical and chemical properties, as well as the optical constants, of organic and inorganic suspended particulate matter (SPM), are discussed in the context of their relationship to the light absorption properties of SPM. Special emphasis is placed on the role of the phytoplankton and the pigments it contains which are particularly strong and important absorbers of visible light in the sea. The authors are professors of physics with practical experience in the field of marine research going back 35 (BW) and 45 (JD) years. They are also the authors of a large number of research papers and several books, e.g., J. Dera, Marine Physics (Elsevier (The Netherlands) and PWN (Poland)), W. Smekot-Wensierski, B. Wozniak et al. Absorptionseigenschaften des marinen Phytoplanktons [Absorption properties of marine phytoplankton] (GKSS-Forschungszentrum Geesthacht GmbH, Germany).
Synopsis
This book provides a detailed description of light absorption and absorbents in seawaters with respect to provenance, region of the sea, depth of the occurrence and trophicity. The text is based on a substantial body of contemporary research results taken from the subject literature (over 400 references) and the work of the authors over a period of 30 years.
About the Author
The authors are both professors at the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Introduction Chapter 2. Light Absorption by Water Molecules and Inorganic Substances Dissolved in Sea Water 2.1 The Absorption of Light by Water Molecules 2.2 The Absorption of Light by Atoms, Sea-salt Ions, and Other Inorganic substances dissolved in sea water Chapter 3. The Impact of Light on Organic Molecules: Physical Principles 3.1 The Characteristic Absorption Properties of Simple Chromophores in Organic Molecules (=> in Preparation) 3.2 The Absorption Properties of Complex Organic Molecules with Conjugated p-electrons 3.3 The Influence of Auxochromic Groups and Complexes on the Optical Properties of Organic Compounds in the Sea Chapter 4. The Absorption of Light by Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) in Sea Water 4.1 The Classification, Origin, and General Characteristics of Light Absorption by the Principal Groups of Organic Absorbers in Sea Water 4.2 Analysis of the Conditions Governing UV-VIS Absorption by the Principal Organic Absorbers in the Sea Chapter 5. The Absorption of Light by Marine Suspended Particles - a General Description 5.1 Quantum-mechanical-electrodynamic Description of Light Absorption in Polydispersive Media; Elements of Mie Theory 5.2 => in preparation Chapter 6. Absorption of Light by Phytoplankton in the Sea 6.1 Abiotic Factors Governing the Absorption of Light by Phytoplankton in the Sea 6.2 Phytoplankton Pigments and Their Electronic Absorption Spectra in the Visible Region 6.3 Resources of Phytoplankton and Concentrations of Chlorophyll a in Oceans and Seas 6.4 The Composition of Chlorophyll a and Necessary Pigments in Marine Algae 6.5 The Pigment Packing Effect in Phytoplankton Cells in the Ocean 6.6 The Overall Absorption of Light by Marine Algae: the Results of Empirical Studies 6.7 Model Description of the Absorption Properties of Marine Phytoplankton - a Review Chapter 7. Absorption of Light by Non-algal Particles Chapter 8. References